King of Thieves is a 2018 British heist film based on the Hatton Garden safe deposit burglary of 2015. It features a star-studded cast, featuring Michael Caine, Charlie Cox, and other British actors I’m not quite familiar with lol. I was perusing Prime Video and finally decided to watch King of Thieves since Michael Caine was in it, and who doesn’t like heist films?
I thought that the acting by the cast was done well. I especially found Jim Broadbent, who played Terry Perkins, to be very compelling as a sweet (grand)father yet intimidating criminal. I also enjoyed the bickering between the characters, and the jabs at each other’s old age.
However, the film fails to really stand out, despite its cast, and the plot was boring due to the fact that you can anticipate what happens next. I did like the tensions that came up between the characters after the heist, which added a nice slow burn for the rest of the film.
Overall, it was an okay film. I wouldn’t recommend to watch it.
At the beginning I was like, crikey, they did a brilliant job with Michael Caine's make-up, but then I realised it wasn't make-up. This movie must be what it's like living in an old folks' home: staring at a bunch of boring old geezers whilst they sit around rambling on and playing bored games.
King of Thieves is an inconsistent film with terrible editing filled with detestable characters you'll end up hoping all die in a horrible fire and the sooner the better. You know you're in trouble when the true story it's based on is so boring not even a dramatisation can make it the slightest bit interesting. At least King of Thieves is aptly named because this film is definitely out to rip you off.
A great cast and a good old heist - what's not to enjoy?
I remember hearing about the Hatton Garden stuff when it happened and subsequently saw the television miniseries on ITV in 2019. That aforementioned show is very good, as is this 2018 film. It's a pretty simple film to make and act, hence why there are three films about this premise out there. However, that doesn't stop it being entertaining to see unfold.
The casting is obvious but, again, suits the production's needs perfectly. Michael Caine (Brian), Jim Broadbent (Terry), Charlie Cox (Basil), Michael Gambon (Billy) and Ray Winstone (Danny) all feature. Caine and Cox give the more memorable performances, but they all act well enough.
I like how the film portrays all of the criminals as criminals, none of them are good people and aren't shown as such. I also rate the humour, which is minor but nevertheless amusing in most parts. There's a few other little things that I appreciated, including the archive footage edit of the main group.
Each to their own, but I enjoyed 'King of Thieves'.
"I'll have you for chunks!"
'King of Thieves' is a slow burn that builds up to nothing. Not to say it doesn't have any entertaining moments despite a sluggish pace.
I mean, what a cast! Micheal Caine, Jim Broadbent, Tom Courtenay, Ray Winstone, and Paul Whitehouse. Centering around a bank heist? Now that sounds like a movie. The back and forward interactions are great and the dry humor perfectly matches their age. Shame you don't get a back story of who these characters are, because I was having trouble caring when the odds are against them.
Michael Caine is excellent, of course. - especially during a scene between him and Charlie Cox after his wife passed. Rather than bawling into tears, Caine instead chooses to reflect deeply on grief itself. You feel his loneliness in that scene while in his large and empty house. None of it felt like acting.
But to me, Jim Broadbent was the show stealer. He’s character is a borderline psycho and displays an intense form throughout, but often shows a softer side during the quiet moments of the film, showing his natural side. When he snaps and becomes threatening, it’s set up in the movie where it would make sense for him to act like that, rather than no reason at all. He was superb, as always.
Director James Marsh at least brings a visual style to the film. Slicing old footage of these actors early work with sharp editing and jazz music. He also knows how to get the best performance out of everyone. Too bad he overlooked everything else.
The movie doesn't know what it wants to be. First a gritty crime drama, then 'Last of the Summer Wine'. Or how we're are thrown into the heist and before you know it, it's all done. Half of the time it felt like a low budget TV drama.
It's sad to see Michael Gambon like this. I hope this isn't going to be Gambon playing 'some old fool' mode.
Overall rating: CHUNKS!
The first half goes too fast and the second half goes too slow.
Bad...just bad. It's not funny or amusing and the story just drags along. 3/10
I think the others said it very well, this film can be best described in one word: Boring!
A good cast and a very competent director can't make up for the fact that this is a tale that has been told countless times before. It's not a very interesting story, either, so while this is possibly the best of a very average bunch, no matter how many times you try to disguise a turd with diamonds, its still a turd at the end of a day.
I didn't watch till the end, and maybe the interesting part started after I stoped watching, but seemed really boring..
//EN-GTranslate
The biggest robbery in the history of Great Britain, according to a real 2015 event, deserves a much better scenario with English exaggeration. Great disappointment. My rating 5/10 (and that's a lot)
//CZ
Největší loupež v historii Velké Británie podle skutečné události z roku 2015 si zasloužila mnohem lepší scénář s anglickou nadsázkou. Velké zklamání. Mé hodnocení 5/10 (a i to je hodně)
Shout by DustinVIP 8BlockedParent2019-09-25T20:48:28Z
Really not sure what to think of this movie. It's quite boring. Usually enjoy movies with older actors, but this was nothing but a boring c*ck-fest…
Boring story, boring dialogues, boring conclusion, boring everything…